After a terrific college football season, it’s time that Lato’s Lens switches to a sport much different, yet just as exciting: men’s college basketball. The college basketball season is currently at its peak, with in-conference matchups heating up and ultimately having huge implications for conference tournament seeding and even the March Madness Tournament. The one thing I enjoy about the sport the most, is that any team can win on any given night, something that isn’t seen too often in other college sports. With that being said, you know the drill: here are some of the greatest upsets, top performances, and must-see matchups for this week in NCAA Men’s College Basketball.
Biggest Upsets
Vanderbilt 74, No. 6 Kentucky 69
The Southeastern Conference produces crazy, jaw-dropping upsets nearly every week. The unranked Vanderbilt Commodores shocked the nation in a 74-69 defeat of the sixth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats, led by Head Coach Mark Pope. Despite being dominated in nearly every facet of the game, it was the Wildcats 17 turnovers that would be the difference in the game. Guard Jason Edwards led the way for the Commodores, scoring 18 points and racking up four assists.
Kansas State 73, No. 23 West Virginia
In college basketball, sometimes it is nearly impossible to win an away game. This was the case for the No. 23 West Virginia after losing to unranked Kansas State in Kansas by a score of 73-60. For the K-State Wildcats, guard Dug McDaniel has an impressive stat line, dropping 15 points, six assists and two rebounds. Despite the loss, Mountaineer guard Javon Small scored 22 points and had five assists.
Arizona 86, No. 3 Iowa State 75
Down by three with only 2.2 seconds left, Arizona guard Caleb Love launched an absolute snipe of a shot from well-beyond halfcourt to send the game to overtime against the third-ranked Iowa State Cyclones. Led by Love’s 22 points, two steals and two assists, the Wildcats would prevail in overtime, defeating the Cyclones by a score of 86-75. This was a huge victory for the Wildcats, otherwise having a sub-par season per program standards.
Top Performances
Cooper Flagg, Duke
It’s widely known that Duke’s Cooper Flagg is a freak of nature, so much so that he’s almost certainly going to be the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. After being down by 13 points to unranked rival NC State, Flagg exploded for 28 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the No.2 Blue Devils victory. This isn’t surprising, which Flagg is averaging 19 points, eight rebounds and 4.1 assists in his freshman campaign.
Johni Broome, Auburn
After spraining his ankle earlier in the season, top-ranked Auburn’s star forward Johni Broome returned from injury in spectacular fashion, recording a 16-point, 14 rebound double-double in an SEC showdown victory against the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers. Broome has taken the college basketball world by storm throughout his career, solidifying himself as a NCAA Player of the Year candidate.
Donovan Dent, New Mexico
Despite being a lesser-known conference, it’s no joke that the Mountain West Conference produces quality talent each year. An example of which is New Mexico Lobos guard Donovan Dent, a potential conference player of the year candidate. In a 75-73 win over rival UNLV, Dent dropped a season-high 35 points, shooting 66.7% from the three-point line and drilling every foul shot. He’s been a key component for the Lobo’s success in conference play this season.
Must-See Matchups
Yale (11-6) at Princeton (14-5): Friday – 5:00 p.m.
The Ivy League is known for beholding the nation’s most prestigious academic institutions. What’s hidden beneath the surface is extraordinary basketball talent. The game features star Princeton guard Xaivian Lee, who is projected to go in the second round in some mock drafts after lighting up Ivy League scoreboards for the past couple of years now. His counterpart from Yale, guard John Poulakidas, is also doing the same thing, averaging 19.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists a game. Featuring two high-level guards, this game is certainly one to watch.
UNC (13-8) at No. 2 Duke (18-2): Saturday – 6:30 p.m.
It’s no doubt that Head Coach Huber Davis and his UNC Tarheels are having a mediocre season. However, an away win against their archrival Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium will provide some life in the Tarheels locker room. Their game plan: stop Cooper Flagg. Although it’s way easier said than done, the Tarheels defense will need to step up big time to win this highly anticipated rivalry matchup.
No. 25 UConn (14-6) at No. 9 Marquette (17-3): Saturday – 8:00 p.m.
After dropping three out of their last five games, the No. 25 Huskies will look to secure a ginormous Big East ranked victory over No. 9 Marquette in Wisconsin this weekend. UConn is still without star freshman guard Liam McNeeley, who has been injured with a high ankle sprain for the last couple of weeks. Marquette, on the other hand, has cruised to a 17-3 record led by senior guard and potential Big East Player of the Year Kam Jones. Defense has been a huge issue for the Huskies thus far, which needs to be fixed if they want to snag a gritty win at Marquette this weekend.